Associations between maternal exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and trajectories of infant growth: A birth cohort study

Jiaying Fu; Qingmei Lin; Baozhuo Ai; Meijun Li; Weidong Luo; Saijun Huang; Hong Yu; Yin Yang; Hualiang Lin; Jing Wei; Xi Su; Zilong Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115792

Associations between maternal exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and trajectories of infant growth: A birth cohort study

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2024 Jan 1:269:115792. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115792. Epub 2023 Dec 8.

Authors

Jiaying Fu¹, Qingmei Lin², Baozhuo Ai¹, Meijun Li¹, Weidong Luo², Saijun Huang², Hong Yu², Yin Yang¹, Hualiang Lin¹, Jing Wei³, Xi Su⁴, Zilong Zhang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
² Foshan Women and Children Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Foshan, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
⁴ Foshan Women and Children Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Foshan, China. Electronic address: fssuxi@sina.com.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: zhangzilong@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38064789
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115792

Abstract

Objective: We examined the relationships between infants' growth trajectories and prenatal exposure to air pollution, which is still under-investigated.

Methods: A birth cohort study was constructed using medical records of pregnant women and infants born between 2015 and 2019 in Foshan, China. Using satellite-based spatial-temporal models, prenatal exposure to air pollutants including particulate matter with an aerodynamic dimension of < 2.5 µm (PM_2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃) was assessed at each woman's residence. Latent class growth modeling was used to identify trajectories of physical (body length and weight) growth and neurodevelopment, which were repeatedly measured within 1 year after birth. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between prenatal exposure to air pollution and the risks of growth disorders, adjusting for an array of potential confounders.

Results: We identified two growth trajectories for body length [normal: 3829 (93%); retardation: 288 (7%)], three for weight [normal: 2475 (59.6%); retardation: 390 (9.4%); overgrowth: 1287 (31%)], and two for neurodevelopment [normal: 956 (66.1%); retardation: 491 (33.9%)]. For exposure over whole pregnancy, SO₂ was associated with an increased risk of body length retardation (OR for per 1 µg/m³ increment: 1.09, 95%CI: 1.01-1.17); PM_2.5 (OR: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.03-1.07), SO₂ (OR: 1.15, 95%CI: 1.08-1.22), and NO₂ (OR: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.03-1.07) were positively associated with neurodevelopmental retardation. Such associations appeared stronger for exposures over the first and second trimesters. No significant associations were detected for weight growth.

Conclusions: Maternal exposure to air pollution during pregnancy was associated with higher risks of impairments in both physical growth, particularly body length, and neurodevelopment.

Keywords: Development trajectory; Infant growth; Prenatal ambient air pollutant exposure.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution* / adverse effects
Air Pollution* / analysis
Cohort Studies
Female
Humans
Infant
Maternal Exposure / adverse effects
Nitrogen Dioxide / analysis
Particulate Matter / toxicity
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects* / chemically induced
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects* / epidemiology

Substances

Nitrogen Dioxide
Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter